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Software · head to head

Simplecast vs Transistor

Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Software

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Transistor logo

Transistor

Software

Professional podcast hosting for businesses and creators

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats; Transistor starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Transistor actually diverge.

Attributes where Simplecast and Transistor differ
AttributeSimplecastTransistor
Starting price$15/month$19/month
Founded20142018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Analytics
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Distribution
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security

Only in Transistor

  • Unlimited podcasts
  • Private podcasting
  • Advanced analytics
  • Custom branding
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Google Podcasts
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • Access controls
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Transistor
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Transistor
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Transistor

Transistor

  • Hosting and distributing multiple podcasts from one accountnot Simplecast
  • Running private, subscriber-only podcast feedsnot Simplecast
  • Publishing podcast websites and inserting dynamic audio adsnot Simplecast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

Transistor

  • Starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional
  • Dynamic ad insertion and auto-posting to YouTube require the $49 per month Professional plan or higher
  • Removing Transistor branding requires the $99 per month Business plan
  • Enterprise plans above 250,000 monthly downloads start at $199 per month and require contacting the vendor

Pricing, plan by plan

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Creator$15/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Analytics
    • Distribution
  • Studio$49/month
    • All Creator features
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Team access
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom features
    • API access
    • Dedicated manager

Transistor

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 10,000 downloads/month
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$49/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 50,000 downloads/month
    • Advanced analytics
  • Business$99/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 150,000 downloads/month
    • Full analytics
  • Enterprise$199/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • 300,000+ downloads
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want analytics.
Simplecast review

Choose Transistor if

  • You need unlimited podcasts.
  • You also want private podcasting.
Transistor review

Questions people ask

Is Simplecast or Transistor better?
Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Transistor at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Transistor?
Simplecast starts at $15/month and Transistor at $19/month.
Does Simplecast or Transistor run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Simplecast best used for?
Simplecast is most often used for hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metrics, distributing shows to apple podcasts, spotify and other directories, monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the professional tier. Of those, hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metrics and distributing shows to apple podcasts, spotify and other directories are not what Transistor is typically brought in for.
What can Simplecast do that Transistor cannot?
Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts, Private podcasting, Advanced analytics, Custom branding. Both handle Team collaboration, API access, Access controls, Web support.
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